Deandre Nembhard Was In Wrong Place at Wrong Time – It Cost Him His Life

Deandre Nembhard

A minor was murdered in the wee hours of the Tenth of September. From all accounts, seventeen year old Deandre Nembhard was not the intended target, but happened to be at the wrong place.  He was on his way home on Nutmeg Street, Belize City, when he stopped at a friend’s house; that decision cost him his life.  While there, a gunman emerged and opened fire hitting him multiple times. Nembhard is not known as a trouble maker and police are ruling out retaliation for a string of shootings as a motive. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

There was gun violence once again in the St. Martin De Porres area, this time on Croton Lane in south side Belize City. Around two a.m. on Saturday, seventeen year old Deandre Nembhard was shot multiple times to the body as he stood at the entrance to this residence socializing with a group of friends. The minor, an avid football player was on his way home, when he stopped by his friend’s house; just a stone’s throw from where he lived on Nutmeg Street.

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division Police

“Police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial hospital where they observed a minor suffering from several apparent gunshot wounds to the body. The person was transmitted to the operating theatre where he succumbed to his injuries sometime after five in the morning. Police visited the area on Croton Lane where the scene was processed and several expended shells were recovered from the scene.”

After being shot, Nembhard tried to escape, but collapsed ten feet away near the incomplete fence. He was rushed to the K.H.M.H. in a critical condition, but succumbed three hours later while undergoing treatment. Residents in the area say that a police patrol had just left the area when a small car drove up; the gunman got out and within seconds opened fire at the group, hitting the minor five times to the body.

Alejandro Cowo

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“The information that the police has received so far, it was a vehicle that stopped at the location where apparently there was a function between a family. A person just came out of the vehicle and fired several shots at the group which unfortunately caught the minor who succumbed to his injuries early in the morning of that Saturday.”

Nembhard does not have a record nor was he known to the police as being affiliated with any gang. It is believed that the intended target was someone within the group, but unfortunately the minor was shot and killed.

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“At this time, there were a number of persons at the house where the shooting happened. We cannot tell you exactly who was the intended target at the time; however, one of the persons who was at that house was the one that received the fatal injuries.”

Duane Moody

“So it is not believed that the minor was the intended target?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“At this moment, we cannot tell you. He was part of the group, but as I told you, we don’t know who was the intended target at that house. there were several perso0ns in that house at the time.”

Duane Moody

“Is there anything that is indicating whether this incident was maybe gang related?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“Not at this moment.”

Reporter

Last week there was a shooting, the guy Longsworth and before that, there was a fatal shooting, Zuniga shooting. Are these seemed to be connected?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“The Longsworth shooting is not connected to the Zuniga shooting…we have nothing that can indicate to us that this is a retaliation for the Zuniga murder nor this one that happened on Saturday morning.”

Reporter

“Sir the victim, have police encountered him before or is he a law-abiding citizen?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“So far that we have checked, we have nothing on that person to say that he has been before the police or the court for any offense.”

Duane Moody for News Five.